RWR:MEET PETE FRANCIS, SINGER, SONGWRITER

 “There’s a lot of healing & a lot of forgiveness in these songs,...It can be scary to face your fears & ask the tough questions, but sometimes you have to step into the darkness in order to find your light.”

~ Pete Francis, on his new album 'Brighter Days'

When I was growing up, there was this really cool kid that lived down the street from me.  His name was Pete.  He didn't go to my school but we hung out in the same circles during the summer.  Two things I remember about this guy.  One, he was always the center of attention, in a good way.  It didn't take much for him to make people laugh.  And two, he was always singing.  He carried this huge Beatles song book around with him and would randomly open to a page, look at you and say, "Oh, I love this one.  Want to hear it?".  To which you obviously had to say, "yes, yes I do."  Pete might not even remember this as we were in grade school at the time without a care in the world.  But I have a vivid picture of the scene in my head and I remember thinking, there is no doubt this kid is going to be a musician of some kind.  Fast forward to now.  His solo album, 'PTRN SKY' releases today, May 12th.  What happened between now and then?  He went to Middlebury College, founded the indie band Dispatch, rose to fame quickly, quietly battled depression while he was touring and recording and finally decided to step away from the band to focus on his mental health and well being.  But in most cases, the fire and drive for singing and songwriting never leaves the artist. And thankfully for us, he channeled his healing into his work which eventually lead him to his solo career and the launch of his new album.  In his own words:

“Sharing is in and of itself an act of healing....There’s still a lot of stigma and shame when it comes to talking openly about mental illness, but I think when we share our emotions and our experiences in real and constructive ways, we invite others to do the same, to feel less fearful and isolated, and there’s something really liberating about that.”

I am so honored to introduce you to Pete and to share his story and music with you.  So much gratitude to him for opening up to RWM and letting us peer through his lens to understand what brought him to where he is now.  Hope to see you soon, Pete, and, yes, I still want to hear that song.  Without further ado, let's meet Pete, a RUNNER WHO ROCKS.

RWR:MEET PETE FRANCIS

Name: Peter Francis Heimbold
Professional Name: Pete Francis
Where you're from: Riverside, CT
Where you reside now: Old Greenwich, CT
Age: 47
Occupation: Singer/Songwriter/Musician
Blog/website: PETEFRANCIS.COM

ON RUNNING & MUSIC
What do you love most about running? 

Finding a cool pair of sneakers to run in.
What do you love most about music? 

Music is my meditation.

PETE'S FAVORITES:
Band (current, all time or both): PINK FLOYD
Album (current, all time or both): MOONDANCE BY VAN MORRISON
Race venue: MY BACKYARD or THE BEACH
Music venue: RED ROCKS
Race distance: SHORTER THE BETTER ; )
Show you've seen live: RADIOHEAD AT ROSELAND IN NYC
Ice cream flavor: SOFT SERVE VANILLA/CHOCOLATE TWIST

THIS OR THAT:

Sweet or salty? BOTH
Live or recorded? BOTH
Coffee or tea? TEA
Summer or winter? WINTER OR THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN AUGUST
Cup or cone? CUP

MORE MUSIC INFO:
Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could? THE WOOD BROTHERS
Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could? MILES DAVIS
Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could? STEVIE WONDER
Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your next race (or long run)? PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC

Legendary Pink Floyd (Photo: YouTube music)

LAST ONE:

Today, I feel like….....….(fill in the blank) HANGING OUT WITH MY DOGS

Top 5 Songs for running, dancing or both?
* LOVELY DAY by BILL WITHERS
* COULD YOU BE LOVED by BOB MARLEY
* COUNTRY ROAD by TOOTS & THE MAYTALS 
* BLAST OFF by LETTUCE
* DEBRA by BECK

Last 5 Songs you listened to today?

* INDIANA by THE SAMPLES
* THIS AIN'T LIVING by G LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE
* PARAD(W/M)E By SYLVAN ESSO
* ELECTRIC RELAXATION by TRIBE CALLED QUEST
* FIND YOURSELF by LUKAS NELSON AND PROMISE OF THE REAL